It is a 2016 KME mounted on a Ford F-550 chassis with a Ford 6.7 light power stroke diesel engine and a 1,250-gallons per minute midship Hale fire pump. It holds 300 gallons of water and 10 gallons of class A foam.

The fire department took possession of the vehicle in late September.

Known as vehicle 720, the mini-pumper will do everything a larger pumper will do, Olthof said. “It’s set up for quick attack.”

The vehicle is set up with LED lights, which don’t need a generator to run them. It also has regulators on the controls so you don’t have to use up manpower monitoring the controls, the chief said.

“That’s important with less help available during the day,” Olthof said.

The mini-pumper backs up the department’s medical vehicle, has a foam system and is also set up for grass fires.

Olthof said the smaller vehicle is also easier to maneuver around narrower roads such as in areas along the North Shore.

Ferrysburg also replaced a 20-year-old first responder medical unit, a Suburban, last March.

But time has taken its toll and the truck is badly in need of mechanical and body repairs.

So fire department fans started raising funds several years ago to Save the ’28, with a goal of $10,000.

“It’s going to fix the fire engine which is really dinged up and needs a new engine,” said Kathleen Thompson, a board member of the Grapevine Citizens’ Fire Academy Alumni.

At a fundraising dinner Friday night, they were told they met their goal.

“We made our goal of $10,000, thanks to dozens of generous donors and event attendees,” Thompson said. “Some wrote large checks. Some elementary school children donated allowance money. And we are grateful for every dollar.”

Outback Steakhouse catered the steak/chicken dinner with two dinner seatings at Fire Station One at 601 Boyd Drive.

Thompson said the restoration efforts are rewarding because the truck is “part of Grapevine heritage.”

When the 1928 Model A Ford was purchased, the only fire station was downtown. The town probably had about 35 volunteer firefighters then.

Now there are five stations and 110 fire and administrative personnel, Deputy Fire Chief Mark Ashmead said.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/courier-journal/article110306692.html

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New Safety Device for Fire Trucks Could Save Lives

Posted: Oct 26, 2016

New Safety Device for Fire Trucks Could Save Lives

On Tuesday, the St. Paul Fire Department announced a new device that will prevent fire trucks from backing over and killing someone. St. Paul Fire Captain Jovan Palmieri invented a device, Backsafe System, after the death of 79-year-old Margaret Kuehn.

Kuehn was killed in 2009 when a St. Paul ambulance was backing down an alley. She walked into the path and was backed over.

Her family members were present Tuesday knowing that much of the inspiration for the technology came from her death.

“You know the loss of my mom was devastating to our family,” said Lisa Kline, Margaret Kuehn’s daughter. “I also recognize how hard it is for the firehouse and whole department and I’m just very happy to hear that they’re embracing this technology and their going to get it installed and hopefully prevent this from happening in the future.”

The first Backsafe System is being donated and installed on Medic 19, the same unit that hit and killed Kuehn.

Fire Chief Tim Butler hopes to have it installed on all 70 city rigs within the next three years.

Read More at KSTP TV

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City Buys $1.8 Million in Fire Trucks

Posted: Oct 26, 2016

City Buys $1.8 Million in Fire Trucks

COLDWATER - After four years of study and discussion, the Coldwater City Council issued purchase orders for two new fire trucks Monday night.Coldwater Fire Chief Rich Sherman said the total cost is $1,758,909."We are badly in need of a new pumper and ladder truck.

Both existing units are on life support and are unreliable at this point,” he said.

The city bought a Seagrave pumper in 2010.

“Our second newest major piece of apparatus is nearly 20 years old as well,” the chief explained.

Coldwater Mayor Tom Kramer said, from the council point of view, “what we are doing is the right thing to do in the long term. They cost money.”

City Manager Jeff Budd said payments are not due until delivery — June of next year for the pumper, and a year from now for the ladder truck — which is in the 2017-18 fiscal year. The council can decide whether to pay cash or finance.

The manager suggested the city could pay for the $573,103 pumper in the current fiscal year from the fund balance. It could then look at paying cash or financing the higher priced aerial truck. He estimated an annual payment of $180,000. That might be a good deal if current interest rates remain around 3.5 percent.

Budd pointed out the city, in anticipation of the major purchase of the ladder, has been building its fund balance to $3.9 million from its usual $2 million level.

The purchase does not take into account any money the city could realize from the sale of the two pieces of used apparatus being replaced. Chief Sherman said he plans to list these with brokers of used fire equipment.

Read More at Thedailyreporter

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